


All Eyes on You, Dance with Me

by bazinga01



Category: The Bold Type
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:42:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22117327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bazinga01/pseuds/bazinga01
Summary: AU. It's Kat's birthday, and Sutton and Jane are determined for her to finally check out the lesbian bar.
Relationships: Kat Edison/Adena El-Amin
Comments: 22
Kudos: 151





	All Eyes on You, Dance with Me

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't an alternate universe so much as an alternate timeline and plot line. It's the characters and places you know, under different circumstances. Based on the aesthetics of 2x04 and 2x06 (because I'm pretty sure they filmed 3x02 in a different venue but I refused to rewatch the queer-straight prom episode to confirm.) Everything else you need to know you'll pick up as you go. 
> 
> Dedicated to Kaity & V at the This Lesbian Shit podcast, for all they've done for the fandom during long and difficult hiatuses.

Her throat burns and she inhales sharply, shakes it off.

“God that’s gross. Why didn’t you bring limes?” she coughs, slamming her glass down, “If I’d known we’re doing tequila shots I would’ve bought limes.”

“Happy birthday, bitch,” Sutton sings, ignoring her and already pouring out another round. Jane recoils and braces herself. “Drink up, we’re goin’ to the Lazy Susan.”

“Wait, the lesbian bar?” Her chest tightens, thrill tingling up her spine. “You know I haven—”

“We know,” Jane interjects, eyeing the full shot glasses lined up on her kitchen table. “That’s why we’re going. It’s time to put yourself out there. You know you want to.”

“Incorrect.” She picks up her glass, gives them both a look until they follow suit. Sutton narrows her eyes, grinning.

“What’s that I remember from happy hour from last week? ‘ _All I want for my birthday is to go out dancing and make out with a hot girl_?’ Hmm?”

“Okay, first of all, you know better than to listen to anything I have to say after three martinis.” Jane opens her mouth to talk. “ _Second_ of all, it’s like a whole… _scene_ at Susan.”

“How would you know if you’ve never been?” Jane challenges.

“Look,” Sutton says, “it’s your birthday and we’ll go wherever you really wanna go. If you want to go to a straight club and maybe find some bi-curious girl on the dance floor, you can do that.”

“Oh, I know I can,” she winks, deflecting.

Jane rolls her eyes. “We know, we’ve seen it in action many a time.”

“ _Buuut_ ,” Sutton continues, “we _know_ you’ve been wanting to go to the Susan. And I get it, we’re not a queer crew or whatever to join you and you’re kinda nervous, but we’ve got you. If you wanna go. Andrew, Alex, and Sage are already planning to meet us there.”

So here’s the thing—they’re totally right and she hates it. It’s just hard, because she came out in her own sort of way, and yeah not all her friends are straight, but most of them are, and she doesn’t really _feel_ like a part of the community even though she knows she is. Is it dumb that she’ll take home a girl from a straight club but is nervous to go to a lesbian bar? Maybe, but whatever. It _works_. Her way works just fine. Except for the part where it’s not as much of a thrill as it used to be, being someone’s experiment, their drunken first.

“Fuck,” she breathes. “Alright, let’s do it.” She slams back her shot, doesn’t even bother to cheers or wait for them. “It’s my birthday.”

“Yes! That’s the spirit!” Sutton jumps, fist clenched in victory. “Hey Alexa,” she shouts across Kat’s apartment, already a little tipsy. “Play _Birthday Bitch_.”

Her nerves last about ninety seconds. Long enough to enter the unfamiliar bar with her friends, to survey all the different clusters and cliques of people that she doesn’t know, to feel like she’s parading in toward the bar. But then Alex is ordering a round and she glances at her surroundings, elbows on the bar top, and realizes the number of not so subtle appreciative looks she’s already getting.

She winks back at one of them, testing her confidence. Electropop music is blasting through the speakers and she finally admits to herself that she looks like hot shit right now, tight black crop top, subtle body shimmer catching the light. The woman bites her lip and then blushes, looking away.

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

Jane passes a drink over to her from Alex and they all gather together, clinking glasses.

“Vodka soda. A man after my own heart,” she sighs, leaning into Alex for a side hug.

“Happy birthday, beautiful!” Andrew calls, and Kat blows him a kiss.

The DJ starts to transition to a deeper hip-hop bass beat and she links hands with Jane, pulling her crew towards the place where she’s most in her element. The dance floor is only modestly crowded, but with good music and surrounded by people she loves, she casts aside the last of her reservations.

She twirls and twists around, holds her drink in the air as she loops her arm around Jane’s waist, giggles as she makes her stumble for a second. But she doesn’t linger for long, spinning her over to Sage while she pivots and catches Andrew.

“Oh, hey sexy,” she laughs when he bends over in front of her, starts shaking his ass, hand on his hip. He’s so tall, but so is she in her heels and somehow it works.

Sutton slides up behind her, holds her waist so that she’s sandwiched between them, and Kat grinds back.

“Careful now, don’t twatblock yourself,” Sutton warns in her ear. Kat tilts her head back laughing, turns to meet her eyes that are gleaming with humor.

“Twatblock? Oh, that’s so great.”

“I know, right? But for real.”

She rolls her eyes and Sutton twists away to face her, doing a dorky dance move to send a clear message to anyone watching.

“A true wingwoman.”

“Ride or die, babe.”

She doesn’t understand how people don’t love this. Sweating it out on the dancefloor. Just laughing, being in your body. This is the easy part. The endorphins and alcohol are rushing through her, sweat clinging to her neck and hairline.

After a while she loses track of time, moving between the bodies of her friends, occasionally meeting the eyes of women who are near her. It makes her feel powerful, sexy. Knowing she has their attention. Another drink is handed over, this time a shot from Sage.

“Shots on the dancefloor?” she shouts and clinks their glasses together, inaudible over the noise from the speakers. “Chaotic, I’m into it.” 

“Don’t say I never did anything for you,” Sage responds, just loud enough to hear, and Kat smiles, leans into her side. “Sooo,” Sage looks around at the women around them, the increasingly crowded dancefloor. “You gonna go for it, or you just gonna enjoy being hot and admired all night?”

“Wow.” She puts her hand to her chest, feigns insult even as she tips her head back, laughing.

“Your call, I support you either way. Being hot and admired is its own kind of fun.”

“Y’know what, yes. Cheers to that,” she yells, flipping her hair over her shoulder, posing with her hand under her chin.

“To what?” Jane chimes in, bumping against her side. Her hair is pulled up now, finally giving up as the dancefloor gets sweatier and more crowded. Kat can’t blame her.

“To being hot,” Sage says, and Jane fans her face.

“Right? Great music but this place has terrible ventilation.”

Even when she’s drunk, Jane’s out here saying words like _ventilation_. Sage opens her mouth to clarify, but Kat makes a face and shakes her head. It’s not worth it and who even cares, and yep, she’s drunk. Not terribly so. Her tolerance is a little embarrassingly high. But she can feel it in the languid movement of her limbs, the way laughter bubbles out of her with increasing ease. She’s drunk, and it’s great.

She steps away from the both of them, mouths ‘ _bathroom_ ’ when Jane looks at her in question. She thinks maybe Jane is about to follow her, but she must read something in Kat’s eyes because she nods and turns away.

It’s true, what Sage and Sutton meant. She knows she’s kind of been using her friends as shield, conveying with her attention and her body that she doesn’t want anyone besides her friends approaching her. So she surveys the whole bar for the first time in a while, notices the women who make eye contact from afar. She thinks maybe one of them is about to walk toward her, but she also really has to pee, so she smiles and starts walking toward the back corner instead, dropping off her empty shot glass at the bar on the way.

A couple of women are already waiting for the two single stall bathrooms. Of course. Even in a lesbian bar. Especially in a lesbian bar. She sighs and leans against a sliver of the wall opposite them, holds her hair on top of her head to cool her neck.

She breathes deep, eyes closed, and settles into the pleasantly drunk feeling humming through her body.

“You’re a great dancer,” a woman says, and Kat opens her eyes to see the person standing across from her, also waiting.

Kat smiles, relaxed, arms still above her head and resting against the wall. The woman is gorgeous, and Kat feels the intensity of her appreciative gaze.

“You been watching me?” she questions, indulgent and a little bit cocky. She’s blaming the tequila from earlier.

The woman gives her a slow smile, and there’s a spark in her eyes at the unexpected response.

“Yes.” Kat blinks, lowering her arms and tucking them behind her back against the wall. “You’re beautiful. And, you look like you’re having a lot of fun.”

A door opens and Kat looks away for a moment, breaking the tension while the next person in line enters. The woman is direct, honest. Unnervingly so.

“It’s my birthday,” she says, ignoring the compliment. Then, “What’s your name?”

“Adena.” Fuck, this woman is so beautiful and she’s got a sexy accent and Kat can’t help but glance at her lips, if only to avoid the intensity of her gaze. “And yours?”

“Kat.”

Adena must notice, because she bites her lip, all but forcing Kat to meet her eyes again or risk being embarrassingly obvious.

“Well then…happy birthday, Kat.”

There’s a little smirk of a smile on her face, and Adena absolutely knows. She’s reading Kat like an open book, in tune with her desire despite how little’s been said.

“Thanks.”

Several seconds of heavy silence pass between them and she watches Adena’s gaze linger over her body.

“Are you here with anyone?”

Kat quirks her eyebrow at the question. Adena has been watching her dance. So she knows she’s here with a group of people, and that’s not what she’s asking.

Kat takes in the sight of her, her deep blue hijab and dangly earrings, the way her outfit clings to her frame. The way her eye contact doesn’t waver. She wants her. They’ve only been standing here for like two minutes, but fuck, Kat wants her.

“Just my friends.”

“Hm,” Adena acknowledges. “Good.”

Kat shakes her head with a quiet laugh, meeting her eyes again.

“Do you always seduce women in the bathroom line? Is that your M.O.? Clever.”

It’s Adena’s turn to laugh but her eyes are also sparkling. One of the single stall doors opens, distracting them both.

Kat tilts her head toward the door, encouraging her to go ahead. “Meet me by the bar?”

Adena gives her one last look, still smiling. “Okay.”

The other door opens soon after that and Kat rushes inside, locking the door and pulling out her phone.

She sends three red alarm emojis to the group chat before she pulls her skinny jeans down to go pee, already following up with—

_OMG i just met this GORGEOUS girl in the bathroom line_

_gonna meet her at the bar_

There’s no answer until she’s nearly done washing her hands, and even then it’s just Sutton sending back two smirking emojis, a tongue, and lipstick print, so.

She’ll take the drunk moral support she can get.

She takes a moment to pause, to collect herself in front of the mirror. She grabs a paper towel from the dispenser, dabs at the sweat collecting on her hairline, her forehead. And then, before she can second guess herself, she chucks it in the trash and turns away from the mirror, opens the door.

Adena is easy to spot, leaning against the bartop but facing outward, scanning and observing the room. Kat ducks her way through the crowd to make it to her, catches someone saying ‘ _hey_ ’ to get her attention. She gives them a quick smile but keeps walking, and the gentle rejection is clear. She already has her sights on someone. A someone in tight dark pants, standing with absolute ease and confidence.

“So,” she says, leaning her side into the bar. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Adena smiles and turns, mirroring her. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” Kat’s forehead crinkles in confusion for a moment. “The birthday girl never pays.”

“Ah,” Kat laughs. “Maybe so. I want to though. People’ve been treating me all night. So…” Kat levels her with a look that Adena meets. “What’ll it be?”

“I actually don’t drink,” Adena says, lips quirking in a smile, and Kat blinks. “But if you insist on something, a soda water with lime would be great.”

“Oh. Okay, yeah,” she recovers. And it’s really not her business why. Maybe it’s religious? Or she’s just not an alcohol person. It doesn’t matter. Not really. Except that it means Adena is sober right now, and fuck, that does something to her nerves. “Of course.”

The bartender comes over and gives her a nod, waiting for her order.

“Hi. Um, can I just get a soda water with lime? Aaand…” she trails off. “Actually make it two.”

“Kat, please, get whatever you’d like,” Adena insists, and suddenly there’s a hand on her forearm, gently touching and _distracting_. “It’s fine.”

“Nah, I’m good.” She gives the bartender another nod to confirm the order before meeting Adena’s eyes. “My last shot is catching up to me and I’m at a good level right now. I don’t wanna get messy.”

“You’re sure?”

Kat looks at her, can’t help but trail her eyes down her neck, her exposed collarbone. Adena absolutely notices, and nails stroke gently up her forearm, palm resting near the curve of her elbow.

“Positive.”

The bartender sets their drinks in front of them and waves off Kat when she holds out a bill. “Don’t worry about it.”

She pulls out a couple ones instead, leaves them by the bar mat.

“Happy birthday,” Adena murmurs, holding up her glass.

Kat doesn’t break eye contact as she clinks their glasses together. “Cheers.”

Yeah it’s only soda water, but she takes a sip anyway, and Adena smiles over the rim of her glass.

“So, you don’t drink.” Adena hums, and Kat smiles. “But the real question is, do you dance?” 

Adena quirks her eyebrow, and then the hand at her elbow is trailing down, tangling their fingers together. There’s this absolutely sexy smile on her face and then Adena is stepping ahead, is pulling them both toward the dancefloor and back toward her friends.

Adena looks back at her only once, as they leave the bar behind. “C’mon.” And then Adena is steering them through the crowd and the warm hand in hers in an anchor, anticipation fluttering in her chest.

The current song is upbeat and pop-y, and Kat uses it as an opportunity to ease into things.

“Let me introduce you to my friends,” she says, leaning close so Adena can hear her. And fuck, maybe that’s a mistake, because she catches the deep flowery scent of Adena’s perfume, feels the way that Adena leans close so their cheeks brush together as she nods.

She steps back, reaches for her nearest lifeline before she does something reckless. “Jane, hey.” She spins around, caught by Kat’s hand. “This is Adena. Adena, this is Jane.”

“Wow,” Jane says, squinting her eyes like she’s trying to focus. “You’re like, _really_ pretty.” She looks to Kat, awaiting confirmation.

Kat cringes for a second, but then Adena laughs and Kat rolls with it.

“She’s straight. And a lightweight that Andrew keeps enabling.”

She says it loud enough for him to hear and Andrew looks back over his shoulder, blows her a kiss. “Someone’s gotta get her to lighten up!” he shouts.

“Hey!” Jane turns around, abandoning them.

“Aaand, y’know what, nevermind,” she looks into Adena’s eyes. “Let’s just dance.”

She’s saved from awkwardness by the DJ’s transition, because it’s a sexier song, and she can work with this.

She moves like before, at first. Like she’s dancing with her friends. She sinks into the beat, dancing mostly on her own, then gets Alex to move with her. Because he’s the only one of her friends that can really keep up with her and stay on beat, and they both love this song.

And then, when she’s regained her groove, her confidence, she risks reaching out to Adena with her free hand, lightly holds her hip, then the small of her back. Adena is the one who moves closer, encouraging a firmer touch, and then there’s a hand touching her shoulder, brushing up toward her neck. There’s liquid cold against her bicep, Adena’s drink glass pressing into her skin, as if she forgot for a moment that she was holding something. A bit of condensation drips down to her elbow, and Adena smiles at her in apology.

“Are you still thirsty?” Adena’s breath is hot against her ear, igniting goosebumps down her spine.

“ _You have no idea,”_ she thinks, but she shakes her head. “I’m good.” Adena takes her drink from her grasp, and steps away to deposit their half-empty glasses on the nearest table.

The look that Adena gives her on the way back over is nothing but wanting, eyes fixed on hers, and Kat doesn’t hesitate to loop both arms around her waist, pulling her into the beat. And then Adena’s hand is stroking her shoulder, her neck again. Adena moves with her effortlessly and Kat ducks her head down, moves closer to avoid the intensity of eye contact.

“Sorry I’m kinda sweaty,” she murmurs near her ear, and the song transitions again. She feels Adena shake her head.

“Don’t be.”

Adena’s voice is low, heavy, and she really didn’t think this through. Because now Adena is closer than ever, invading her senses, and the hand that was touching her arm is now at her side, holding her bare waist.

Normally wearing a crop top feels like a power move, but not right now. Not when she can feel the heat of Adena’s palm, the way her fingertips caress her back with even the simplest of movements. Her body moves with the ease of alcohol flowing through her bloodstream, but it also somehow amplifies Adena’s touch, and she feels it everywhere. _Wants_ it everywhere.

She doesn’t even realize her sharp intake of breath until she feels the ghost of Adena’s lips near the curve of her neck, smiling.

She gives up on holding it together after that, lets her impulses lead, lets her hands wander as they move through song after song.

Adena breaks away every so often, will pivot out and dance for her, with her, like she knows she needs some air, like it’s all too much otherwise. Too much intensity. Too much for this dancefloor. Too much for curious and jealous onlookers.

But when Adena is holding her waist again, trailing both hands up and down her back, Kat finally goes for what she’s been wanting since they locked eyes in the bathroom line.

Their foreheads are pressed together, noses nearly brushing, and she leans in slowly, gives Adena the chance to turn away.

Adena tips up and closes the distance.

Her lips are so soft, tentative only for a moment before parting open, capturing her bottom lip, and Kat is reeling. The heat that’s been building tension in her body all night constricts and throbs, leaves her aching. She moans into the kiss and fingertips press into her back, holding her tighter. Adena’s tongue flicks against hers, teasing at first and then deeper, until Kat forgets where she is, because it’s just _bass_ and _heat_ and the hottest fucking first kiss she’s ever had with a stranger.

Adena tips out of the kiss first and it takes Kat a moment to come to her senses, to slowly blink her eyes open again.

“Finally,” Adena says, voice thick. Kat strokes her jaw once with her thumb, relaxes her hand and lets its drift down the back of her neck. “I was starting to think you’d never kiss me.”

Kat scoffs, caught off guard, and Adena smiles.

“Hey now. I wasn’t stoppin’ you either.”

“I’m not the one who’s been drinking.”

She frowns for a second, confused, before it clicks. “You’re not taking advantage. Don’t worry, I’m good.” Her eyes catch on Adena’s lips again, the way her lip stain is a little faded now. “More than.”

Adena’s hands are still on her waist, fingertips stroking her ribs, her back. It’s distracting as fuck.

She wants Adena. Wants far more than is appropriate for this bar right now.

“Hey.” A hand taps her shoulder and she turns, letting go of Adena. “Sorry to interrupt,” Sutton says. “Hi,” she says to Adena, “I’m Sutton.” Then, “So, Jane has the spins. I think it’s time to get her home before she blows. Andrew and Sage left a bit ago, they told me to let you know. Didn’t want to interrupt.”

She blushes a little, mostly for the fact that she kind of abandoned her friends for a while and they all just let it happen.

“Do you need to go?” Adena asks her. And it’s so considerate, it is. But she knows she doesn’t mean it. She hopes she doesn’t mean it. Because Kat is so not ready for this to be over.

Sutton looks to Kat, eyebrow raised, and if there was ever a look that said a thousand words…

“No. No, I don’t need—. Unless,” she pauses, looks between her best friend and the woman she’s been dancing with all night. “Hey, Sutt, can you give us a sec?”

Sutton smirks.

“Mmhm. I’ll be up front. Jane’s at a table with Alex.”

“’Kay.”

She waits until Sutton is a few steps away before she returns her focus to Adena.

“Sorry about that.”

“Is fine. I understand you came here with your friends. If you need to—”

Kat shakes her head, interrupts. Then she takes a slow breath, takes a risk.

She leans in, kisses Adena softly but heavy with promise.

“I don’t wanna make any assumptions, but. D’you maybe want to get outta here with me?” she murmurs, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes.

Adena does not give a fuck about her apartment. The moment that they’re inside, that Kat drops her keys on the kitchen table next to the empty shot glasses from earlier, Adena’s lips are on hers. And she’s not holding back anymore.

“ _God_ ,” she groans, head tipping back when Adena starts kissing at her neck. She sits on the kitchen table, balancing herself. “You feel so good.”

“Mm,” Adena hums into her skin. “You are so sexy. As soon as I saw you dancing with your friends…”

Kat’s laugh is breathy, cutting off into a whine when Adena’s teeth graze near her pulse point, tongue slick.

“You really were watchin’ me, huh?”

Adena is standing between her spread legs, palms splayed against her thighs. She _never_ should’ve worn jeans. She squeezes Adena’s hips with her knees, arches into her.

“I was planning to approach you after I went to the bathroom.”

“Y’know, I actually believe that,” she breathes, and Adena presses a hot open kiss into her shoulder. She reaches up to stroke Adena’s head on instinct, feels the soft fabric of her hijab.

“Can…can I…” she tries, distracted as hell. “I’m sorry, I don’t know if you’re okay with…”

Adena pulls back, blinks at her with heavy eyes. She follows Kat’s eyesight to the top of her head.

“Oh,” Adena laughs, starts pulling out a couple of bobby pins, undoing her hijab. “Yes, here, it’s fine.”

Kat watches as she pulls the pins out, impatient and frustrated until the fabric unravels and comes loose. Her hair falls in long dark waves around her shoulders and she tosses the scarf to the ground, leans into Kat’s body again.

“You are ridiculously hot, you know that?” she says and Adena laughs, kisses another love bite into her neck, starts inching her fingertips under the hem of her crop top. She sinks her hands into Adena’s hair, scratches at her scalp. It’s so hot and _so_ satisfying, and, “ _happy birthday to me_.”

“So what do you want?” Adena teases, kissing just below her ear. “For your birthday.”

A shot glass clatters to the floor, knocked over, and Kat curses. She leans forward until she’s sitting upright again, cups Adena’s jaw and traces her bottom lip with her thumb.

“I want you,” she says, and Adena’s eyes darken. “Preferably in my bed, but if kitchen tables are your thing I can work with that.”

Adena pulls her to her feet, walks them forward and starts kissing her deeply as soon as they reach the foot of the bed.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific than that.”

Adena’s thumbs are hooked beneath her top and she nods, lifting her arms above her head. It bares her chest, and it’s Adena that groans this time, pushing Kat until she’s laying back on the duvet.

Adena straddles her hips, trails her fingertips up and down her stomach before brushing up to cup her breasts, teasing at her nipples.

Fuck it, it’s her birthday, and Adena is clearly confident in what she’s doing.

She reaches for Adena, pulls her down into a wet raunchy kiss.

“I want your mouth,” she breathes. “I want you to eat me out.”

Adena says something that she can’t understand, eyes heavy with lust, and starts kissing down her chest instead of answering any further.

“But take these off,” she adds, pulling at Adena’s top. “Too many clothes.”

“Bossy,” Adena teases, sucking at a spot just above her hip. But then she shrugs out of her top, starts working on Kat’s jeans.

“You asked,” Kat moans, feeling Adena’s lips just above her underwear.

“I did, “Adena concedes, stripping Kat of her jeans and then her own.

When Adena crawls back onto the mattress, Kat slides up to make room for her and Adena holds her thighs, settles between them.

It’s almost too much and Kat glances down, runs her fingers through Adena’s hair. Adena keeps eye contact with her, goads Kat by pressing a hot open kiss to her underwear. Her eyes are full of lust and so much confidence and it makes Kat burn, makes her arch back into the pillows.

“You’re gonna be _such_ a tease, aren’t you?” she groans.

She hears Adena laugh quietly, feels her panties being tugged down her legs before her thighs are parted again.

“ _Mm, happy birthday_.”

The bright sunlight wakes her up a little past ten and she groans, squinting against the light and burrowing under the covers.

It takes her a second to remember that there’s someone in her bed, but then her toes brush a smooth calf and she hears a sleepy sigh.

Fuck. Right.

Adena.

“You awake under there?” she hears, warm and gravelly.

“Uh-uh,” she shakes her head, twisting further under the covers, and there’s a laugh.

“Do you drink coffee?” Adena asks.

“Mm, yes.” She finally peeks her head out, squinting, and Adena looks amused. “Kettle and french press are on the counter. Just,” she lets her eyes flutter closed again, “gimme a sec.”

“I’ve got it,” Adena laughs, sliding out of bed. She ducks down to grab her panties on the floor, slipping them on, and Kat can’t help but laugh too. God, she’s even prettier in the daylight.

“Can you like, stop being hot and awake please,” she mumbles, rubbing at her temples. She’s got a mild hangover and she knows at least half of it is from dehydration.

She should’ve had a glass of water or something in the kitchen before she fucked Adena. Priorities.

“No. _But,”_ she sings. “I can make you coffee and maybe get you some water.”

It’s a great view, she has to admit. Adena naked in her kitchen, filling up the electric kettle at her sink, tipping up on her toes to grab mugs from the shelf.

“Ok deal.”

She has to pee and she’s pretty sure her breath is terrible, so she swings her legs out of bed, stumbles over to the loft stairs to go up and grab a t-shirt and some boy shorts. And for courtesy’s sake, she grabs an old shirt for Adena too, in case she wants something to put on besides last night’s tight blouse. 

“If it makes you more comfortable,” she says, tossing the t-shirt onto the bed. “Not that I mind the view.”

She winks at Adena on her way into the bathroom and Adena smiles, flips the kettle on.

When she gets out of the bathroom, face clean and advil on its way to rescue her headache, Adena is standing in the kitchen with two full mugs, wearing her old green Coachella shirt.

“Thanks, for the coffee.” She opens her fridge. “You want any almond milk?”

“No, thank you.” Kat pours some into her own mug, takes a spoonful of sugar from the jar on the counter. “I like your apartment,” Adena compliments, looking around.

She ducks down to put the milk back. “Yeah, it’s a pretty sweet spot. I love it here.” The fridge shuts behind her.

“I meant the artwork,” Adena smiles, taking a sip of her coffee. “Though the space is very nice too. You’re interested in justice movements.”

It’s more of a comment than a question, as Adena looks at the nearest feminist protest art on the wall.

And there it is. This right here. This is why she doesn’t usually do sleepovers.

Because now there’s daylight, and sobriety, and a gorgeous woman with sleepy eyes in her kitchen trying to learn about her interests.

“I am,” she replies, giving a small smile to not seem too rude. But she doesn’t elaborate, and Adena takes the hint.

“I had fun last night,” Adena says. “Did you enjoy your birthday?” It’s said innocently enough but the look in her eyes is anything but, glancing down Kat’s body, her bare thighs.

“My birthday was amazing.”

It’s true, and she’s not gonna downplay it. She had a blast with her friends and she came three times last night with the best hook-up she’s ever had.

Adena reaches out, playing with the hem of her shirt. Then she touches her bare hip, tugs her closer by the fabric.

“I’m glad,” Adena murmurs. And oh, this is getting dangerous now.

“I have brunch plans,” she says, and Adena drops her hand. “I’m sorry. I’m tempted to bail but…”

“Is ok.”

“I really did have a great time with you last night though. Can I order a Lyft for you? Whenever you’re ready.”

Adena nods, tucks her hair behind her ear. “Sure. Thanks.”

“Of course.”

Adena leans in, presses a chaste kiss to her lips. “Let me just get dressed.”

She didn’t mean to make Adena feel like she was being kicked out. But if she’s honest, that’s basically what she’s doing and she knows it. She doesn’t do morning-afters.

“Keep the t-shirt on if you want.”

Adena smiles, slips her jeans on and folds her shirt from last night.

“Any chance you’ll let me return it to you sometime?”

Kat stops, smirks.

“Very smooth.”

“I try.”

They both trade flirty smiles and Kat walks over to the nightstand, grabs her phone. “What’s your number?”

Adena relays it to her while she grabs her headscarf, realizes the bobby pins are a lost cause. She watches as Adena wraps it loosely around her head and hair, tucked across her neck in a different style than last night.

“Got it. Texting you now.” Sure enough, Adena’s phone chimes from its spot on the floor.

She has Adena put in her address on the rideshare app after that and a notification pops up that a car will be ready in three minutes.

And then Adena is standing there at her door, dark blue scarf loose around her face and oversized Coachella t-shirt hanging from her frame.

“It’s a look,” Kat says, when Adena catches sight of herself in the entryway mirror and laughs.

“Sure.”

Kat is already getting used to her cute laugh, how much she loves the sound of it, and this is exactly why the car is on the way.

She opens the front door and Adena turns, gives her one last look.

“Have fun at brunch.”

Kat leans in, kisses her goodbye. “Thanks for the great birthday.”

Her phone is out, texting the group chat as soon as she shuts the door behind her.

_You alive? Wanna brunch?_

Sutton answers by the time she’s got the shower turned on, steam filling the bathroom.

**_YES!_ **

**_We need details!!!_ **

There’s a string of suggestive emojis after that and Kat smiles, rolls her eyes.

**_Jane has to rally tho. 11:30? The Farmhouse?_ **

_Perf_

She gets a text on Monday as she’s walking out of the board meeting.

**_Hi Kat. Would you like to meet for coffee some time?_ **

Fuck. That’s so not what she meant about returning the shirt. She never should’ve given her number.

She tucks her phone back in her pocket. She’ll deal with that later.

Later turns out to be that night, when she’s drinking rosé and browsing through her Netflix list. She sighs, finally pulls up the message again to respond.

_Hey. I had a great time with you, but I don’t really do dates. Sorry if I didn’t make that clear. Let me know if you’re ever out at Susan again?_

It feels shitty to say, but it’s honest. She doesn’t ghost, and she doesn’t play games either. At least Adena knows where she stands.

There’s no reply by the time she goes to bed, and there’s none all day at work the next day either.

So it turns out being 24 feels pretty much the same as 23. Work is as busy as ever, but at least she’s got Angie now, and Scarlet’s digital following continues to grow and expand.

Sutton keeps talking about how excited she is, because Scarlet did this amazing shoot several months back and now she gets to work with the team that did it. Something about a new direction in the fashion department.

Scarlet seems to be growing and shifting every day, with new hires and new projects cropping up everywhere.

“She’s coming in today.” Speaking of—Sutton strolls up, sits on her desk.

“Who?”

“The new contract photographer!” Sutton waves her hand in front of her face, finally draws her attention away from the screen. “Have you not been listening at all lately?”

“Sorry, sorry,” she says, tipping back in her chair. “It’s just been crazy with the recent issue and the new snapchat campaign. Way too much to keep track of.”

“Wanna come snoop with me? She’s supposed to be here soon, to meet with Oliver and HR.”

She stretches her arms above her head and yawns.

“Sure, why not. Why do you care so much anyway though? She‘s just a photographer.”

“Because she’s _amazing,_ apparently. She’s done all kinds of political work and gallery stuff. Can you imagine what kind of cool projects she’ll collab with us on?”

It’s cute, how excited Sutton is. “Okay, okay,” she says, following her toward Oliver’s office.

Sutton knocks at Oliver’s open door as she rounds the corner.

“Hey, didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to introduce myself to—”

“Oh shhhi….Hi.” Kat says, freezing in the doorway. She knows that face. It’s the woman from her birthday. Adena.

 _Adena_ is the photographer.

“ _Oh.”_ Sutton says too, recognizing her after a moment.

“What’s wrong with you two?” Oliver looks between them, but Kat can’t look away from her.

Adena’s eyes are wide for a moment, looking at her, and Kat swallows. But then she’s looking down at her lap, back at Oliver and then Sutton.

“Um, nothing,” Sutton clears her throat. “Sorry. I just wanted to introduce myself,” she says, gracious as ever. She extends her hand to Adena. “I’m Sutton Brady, Oliver’s assistant. We’ll probably be working together in the near future.”

“Adena El-Amin.”

She gives a warm, polite smile, shakes Sutton’s hand like she hasn’t briefly met her on a dancefloor at 1:30 AM.

Adena finally looks at her again, and oh god, she forgot how attractive Adena is. How intense her gaze is when she’s sober. Kat stays in the doorway, gives a little wave instead.

“Kat Edison. I, uh, I’m the social media director here at Scarlet. We may end up working together at some point, depending on the project and if there’s a strong online element.” 

“Nice to meet you both.”

Oliver’s eyebrow is raised. “Thank you, ladies. Aaand, on that note, you can shut the door on your way out. We’ll be done shortly but we’ve got some final details to discuss first.”

“Right,” Sutton says, flashing them both a beaming smile.

Kat is still staring at Adena when Sutton grasps her wrist, drags Kat out behind her.

“ _You fucked the photographer?!”_ Sutton whispers loudly.

“I didn’t know she was a photographer! I didn’t even know her last name!”

This is…great. This is just great. Of course this would happen to her. Of course a fantastic night could never be so simple without coming back to bite her.

There are nerves fluttering in her stomach and her chest constricts. And it’s not even the sex that comes to mind. It’s the coffee. It’s remembering how she felt standing in her kitchen, with Adena looking into her sleepy eyes, looking at her apartment decorations. Wearing her t-shirt, before Kat panicked and all but sent her home.

The fashion closet calms her only marginally. Jane insists that it’ll be fine, that she’s sure Adena is a professional and won’t hold it over her.

“I can’t believe that’s who you went home with,” Sutton muses. “She’s like, an icon in the lesbian arts scene here, apparently.”

“Of course she is,” Kat sighs, reclining her head back against the ottoman. “She asked me out later. I never told you guys.”

“Wait, wh—”

“Really?”

“I freaked and turned her down.”

“Kat…”

“Yeah, I don’t wanna talk about this anymore,” she sighs. “Maybe later?” She stands up, brushes invisible lint off her blazer, just to move her hands. “I’ve got a lot to get done.”

She avoids their eyes as she walks away.

“Uh-huh, you’re off the hook…for now.”

“We’re talking about this later!” Jane exclaims, and Kat waves back at her on her way out.

She sighs, tries to shake it off and clear her head.

The bathroom stall in the hallway is locked, so she stops, leans against the opposite wall and closes her eyes, collecting herself. It’s not that big of a deal. She knows it’s not. It just feels like it is, but she’ll be fine. She probably won’t ever have to work with Adena anyway.

(That’s a lie. She knows they’ve got a new anti-cultural appropriation social media campaign coming up next month, and now that she’s thinking about it, she’s pretty sure Jacqueline mentioned a new photographer that would join the project.)

It’s gonna be fine. It was just dancing and sex. Really _really_ good sex.

She hears the bathroom door and she opens her eyes, breath catching.

“Perhaps we do have a thing for bathroom lines,” Adena smiles, giving her a look. And there’s _so_ much, right there, that’s loaded into her words.

Butterflies stir her in her stomach and she finally concedes a laugh, shaking her head. It’s funny. She can admit that this is funny, even though the tight feeling in her throat says otherwise.

“Maybe we do,” she says, reaching for the door that Adena’s holding open. “See you around?”

Adena nods, gives her one last long look.

“See you around.”

**Author's Note:**

> Writing fic is a labor of love, and comments give me life. Please share your thoughts! Thanks for reading! xo ~bz


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